I'm going into AP (advanced placement) European History, grade 10, and our summer reading assignment was to read a A World Lit Only By Fire, a book about the tenaissance. Along with this assignment, I'm required to write a paragraph about the book's thesis. Does anyone have any advice on how to get started? I'm not sure how to approach the assignment.

Thanks, Christine

A thesis is the main idea, whether of an essay, a book, a novel, or ??

So once you have read the book, ask yourself what the ONE MAIN IDEA is that the author was trying to prove correct. Once you can isolate that thought, you'll have a starting point. Write up that thesis (main idea) into one sentence, and use it as your paragraph's topic sentence.

Now what were the main supporting ideas the author used to explain or prove the main idea? You should have about 5-7 of those ideas, and then write up each one into a sentence. Those will make up the body of your paragraph.

Then write a conclusion, and you'll be done.

If you are still reading the book, be sure you are making a few notes to yourself, with page numbers as references. You will find your notes helpful when you go to plan and write up your paragraph.

=)

thank you so much!

You're welcome, Christine! I'm glad I could help. Remember, when writing your paragraph about the book's thesis, it's important to have a clear understanding of the main idea that the author is trying to convey. Once you have identified that main idea, you can use it as your topic sentence.

To gather the supporting ideas for your paragraph, go through the book and look for evidence or arguments that the author presents to support their main idea. These supporting ideas should be the backbone of your paragraph, and you should aim to have around 5-7 of them.

When writing each supporting idea, make sure to provide a concise summary in your own words. This will show that you have understood the author's points and can effectively communicate them in your writing.

Lastly, conclude your paragraph by briefly summarizing the main idea and the supporting ideas you discussed. It's important to leave a strong impression on the reader and reiterate the significance of the thesis.

Throughout the process, if you come across specific details or references in the book that support the main idea, make note of them with page numbers. These notes will be helpful when you start planning and writing your paragraph.

Remember to proofread your paragraph after you've written it to ensure clarity, coherence, and proper grammar.

I hope these additional tips help you complete your assignment successfully. Good luck with your AP European History class! If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.